Here Are The Albums That Influenced Charlotte Day Wilson

With the release of her debut solo EP CDW, Toronto singer-songwriter Charlotte Day Wilson has skyrocketed to the forefront of Canada’s indie music scene, quickly being realized as one of the most exciting new artists creating right now. Within a cool class of budding Canadian neo-soul talent and producers—think River Tiber, Daniel Caesar, BADBADNOTGOOD, all of whom Wilson rolls with—her sparse, jazzy arrangements and unmistakably rich vocals stand out as those of an artist destined to revive classic genres, while adding an accessible, contemporary spark to all that she does.

This woozy blend of soul, R&B, jazz and pop already sounds distinctly hers, and is clearly a result of highly eclectic musical tastes that helped shaped the stunning six-song debut. Unsurprisingly, music is an all-consuming experience for the singer and multi-instrumentalist—and listening to the songs that have inspired her most has, at times, hit her “like a brick wall.”

While currently opening for Local Natives on the fall leg of their North American tour, we asked Wilson to list the standout albums and songs that she says she “spent countless hours listening to over the past year and a half.”

“I have distinct memories of each of these songs messing me up somewhere in public,” Wilson says. “I don’t usually listen to music at home—I listen almost exclusively while I’m in transit from one place to another. Sometimes I find myself standing still in the middle of a busy street or missing my stop on the bus or taking the wrong exit off the highway, because I’m so lost in the music.”

“These are moments that are imprinted in my memory in such a distinct and colourful way.”